Quote: “You’re cosmic” / “How do ya feel about it, what are your thoughts about it?”

1. Wild High – Dip

“We may never know each other ’till the end”

I spent a few hours in Colorado Springs where a taxi driver told me his favourite place to visit in the entire United States was his “mom’s” house and a homeless female known as Bat-Girl took a shine to me and attempted to sit next to me on the bus up to Denver. I rudely bolted to a seat on the other side and fell asleep before the engine had turned on.

Magnificent Mimi took me under her wing and into her home. I met her giant group of friends such as Gustavo, Isaac and Austin, who refreshingly enlightened us with passionate and positive views on male birth control. We drove to see their friends’ band Wild High perform at Lost Lake.

There were a few acts on the bill including an electronic musician in a spacesuit rocking the crowd. Wild High were highly entertaining with some incredible songs and stage presence. The guitarist Clay jumped into the crowd near the end of the set and everyone was dancing and having bloody good fun.

The venue and the warmth of everyone knowing each other, if only by a loose connection, reminded me of The Montague Arms back in Peckham which was lovely. I met so many people that I cannot recall all their names but all seemed like fabulous human beings with whom I want to be best friends with. The lead singer Cody professed his love for his girlfriend on stage as it was turning her birthday at midnight. Pretty much the dream for any girl and I await such an affair at some point with my future husband.

We went for some post gig drinks with Reed at Moon Magnet which is a house/studio bursting with musicians and instruments. I originally was going to stay at Moon Magnet where Mimi commented that I was not ready for that experience, but I believe I would have been in my element.

2. Chromatics – I’m On Fire

“At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet and a freight train running through the middle of my head”

The night before I arrived in Colorado I sang this song with James in Mesa. We also watched the Bruce video that I hadn’t seen before which is hilariously cheesey. Mimi had Chromatics cover version on in her car as we drove to Coors Brewery for a tour. Here we are before our delicious free beers looking so frickin’ sexy.

I love this version and it remains on my soundtrack daily. I listened to this as well as Wild High’s album ‘Sdreams’ as I wandered around South Broadway where we had eaten a truly gorgeous brunch earlier with my first ever mimosa (it’s just Bucks Fizz). I came across a book store with a guy playing music to a large crowd of skaters, bleeding all over his banjo as he yelled about how angry at the world he was. Pretty entertaining.

Isaac came to Mimi’s house and we played some of our songs to each other and this track (reminding me of my bestie Bonnie back in Yorkshire) remained in my mind for a long time as we partied at a Hip Hop night at Meadow Lark. Too many beers and tequilas later I recall being in the boot of a Smart car with Isaac while Gustavo and Shelby sat in the front and I struggle to recall much after that. I have a vague recollection of Brandon (another triplet!) coming over and having shark’s teeth drawn all over his crotch.

3. Milky Chance – Stolen Dance

“Stoned in paradise, shouldn’t talk about it”

I met up with Kiwi laddy Sean (from Vegas) and his friend Michelle in the British Bulldog (i’m really embracing new culture) and then to a Vodka distillery for a fancy cocktail. The barman made me a Slimey Bastard and then acted like a slimey bastard and wouldn’t let me pay for it, insisting that he thought I was super cute. In hindsight I should have tipped him the amount of the drink but my English roots forgot and I jetted off. Oops.

I returned to Moon Magnet for a late night jam with Reed where I croaked out some tunes, he played some accordion and then we sat back and listened to James Blake loudly. I feel Denver is the American New Cross scene that is going on in London at the moment which I think is pretty darn delightful. I showed Reed some NX artists who I am friends with and adore their sound and he played me the Moon Magnet compilations including his music under the name Decollage.

I got back to Mimi’s with an extensive list of music to listen to, Milky Chance being the best addition to my soundtrack. I love this song and bouncing around cities in the sun to this is sheer bliss. It reminds me of “ONE DAY BABY WE’LL BE OLD”, a track by Wankelmut that people would always put on at parties in London which resulted in my jumping up and down on tables.

4. The Rembrandts – I’ll Be There For You

“Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, your love life’s DOA”

Alarmingly Mimi has only just begun watching Friends so she was hooked during my entire stay, which was no problem with me as I could sit and watch every episode for the 100th time any day. We watched at every available chilling opportunity including mine and Shelby’s return from The Colorado History museum on 420 visiting a 1968 exhibition. I happen to have struck a lot of luck in my whereabouts for holidays such as being with an Irish man on a party beach for St Patrick’s, Easter Sunday in Dolores Park in San Fran and Denver for 420!

Once recovered from the afternoon frolicks I drank red wine with Mimi, Gustavo and Austin at Sputnik which led to Gustavo and I going downtown to meet Brandon and Jeff. We had some spicy vodka shots (I was almost forced to eat a scorpion) and I finally got to listen to Brandon play after hearing many wonderful things. His solo work has me mesmerized but I don’t think it’s available for public consumption (I totally have some tracks). Here is his band Set Sail who stormed Australia and I hope to follow in their footsteps when I get over there.

Gustavo and I skipped the strip club (much to my dismay – still on my bucket list) and went back to the house to eat chocolate cake.

The next night I played Meadowlark’s open mic which resulted in selling some CDs and receiving some incredible compliments. I half jokingly agreed to play the Friends theme song and dedicate it to Mimi but I bottled it and just recorded it for her instead!

So grateful to Mimi, Gustavo, Brandon, Pablo, Sean, Michelle, Ian and Shelby for coming to support me. I also saw Random Temple perform who dedicated a Laura Marling cover to me (not many people know her over here) and I also saw a cracking Ukelele version of Willy Wonka’s ‘Pure Imagination’ which I had been randomly singing to Mimi earlier that day… my superpower to control music is overwhelming. Here Random is, followed by some other snaps of the beautiful people who came.

Random

Gustavo

Brandon & Mimi

5. Kurt Vile – Wakin on a Pretty Daze

“It’s hard to explain my love in this daze”

After the open mic I joined such lads as Pablo, Isaac, Karl and Gustavo at The Spot which led to a quick jam at Moon Magnet which led to red wine with Pablo and Gustavo which led to staying up all night with Pablo and driving into the mountains in the morning sun and snow.

We spoke about a lot of subjects including positive energies being drawn to each other and how this could relate to me not having met too many bad eggs directly on the journey so far due to their negative energy.

This was my favourite 24 hours to date on the adventure and it included driving in Pablo’s car listening to his soundtrack, a lead feature being Kurt Vile. Here he is in the magic (as seen above as Wild High’s bassist)

Deliriously tired and drunk on goodness, I managed to get to the airport in more than enough time thanks to Pablo who gave me a red nose and sent me on my way.

Arrived in Houston, Texas with Friends on the telly in the bus station en route to New Orleans, Louisiana…